Shivers
by Spazzplosion
Summary: Life had been hard on Riku, taking his loved ones, his dignity. But one night he'd been saved and given a chance to live anew. Now, he helped other people suffering the same horrors. But helping Axel was one of the hardest things he'd ever have to do. A/R


Life had been hard on Riku, taking his loved ones, his dignity. But one night he'd been saved and given a chance to live anew. Now, he helped other people suffering the same horrors. But helping the newest victim was one of the hardest things he'd ever have do to, he just didn't know it yet.

**Shivers**  
_Prologue_

* * *

_Thinking back to that first night, I can't help but scold myself for even going out. It was a dark, moonless night; chilly and blustery, with no snow to disguise the dirt and grime of the slums. It was one of the worst parts of town to be in at night, and it looked it. But I had needed a dealer, needed one bad…_

* * *

The cold bit through Riku's jacket, aggravating him even more. He didn't want to be in this part of Atropos, especially at 11:30 at night. It was a desolate place, filled with desolate, _desperate_ people. Nobody in the slums were there for a good reason. Nobody that is, except for him and the intimidating, stoic man walking beside him. It was that man's fault that Riku was out here, shivering from more than just the cold. Memories seeped through his mind, cautioning, frightening, chilling. Riku did the best he could to shrug it off.

"Please Squall, explain to me again why we're wondering the God-forsaken slums of Atropos at half an hour to midnight?" Riku glanced at his friend, hoping his tone would provoke some kind of reaction. It didn't. What a surprise.

"We're out looking for someone who needs help-" he ignored Riku's grumbled comment about the entire section of the city needing help, "-Someone who's stuck and wants to get out. Someone who needs a place to sleep, or a decent meal." Squall's voice wasn't loud, but it was the sort of voice that would always be heard. In the same way Riku's voice had shown his displeasure, Riku could tell his friend was only quoting whatever Aerith had politely demanded of him. It was close to the holiday season, so she was bent on helping as many people as possible. Not to mention her intuition. When Aerith told you to find a a person that she had a feeling about, you would find them. Which, now that he was thinking about it, was probably what he was doing this very moment. Aerith wanted them to find _someone_. And despite his discomfort, for that very reason, Riku would keep looking. He'd been once been one of those people on the street that Aerith so kindly helped.

* * *

It was so cold. Axel hated the cold, hated it more than anything right then. His already frail body couldn't decide whether it was freezing or burning up, His whole body hurt, ached and longed for strength to burn it's way through his veins. It'd been so long since he'd had any. And the goddamned dealer _wasn't_ in his zone. Oh, how he hurt.

He tried to push his body farther. Really, he tried. But his muscles locked up, refused to let him find his relief. Exhaustion swamped over him, just barely dampening the pain, and heightening his distress. His shoulder bashed into the rough concrete wall, pulled a pained gasp from his chapped, split lips as he collapsed. His arms slowly, reluctantly, curled themselves around his body. Desperate to hold on to his own body heat until the next hot flash, Axel slowly, carefully folded his pained, sore body into a ball. It didn't get warmer. And he couldn't find it in himself to hope that it would.

* * *

Riku knew Squall heard it first by the way the man stilled and simply listened. He followed suit, and wanted to cringe from the sad sounds he heard. Someone was gasping, choking in air in pained little breaths. It grated at his nerves, filled him with a desperate want to help whoever was breathing like that.

But, once again, Squall was first. The more attentive man headed towards the nearest corner and looked down. Riku followed him, and felt a wave of pity scurry it's way through his body. A man was curled up tight, leaning against the wall. Everything about how the man looked warned Riku about why this person was roaming the slums so late. His body was frail, a tremor continuously moved through it. The long red hair was lank, long and sweat-soaked despite the chilled air. The way he was curled up, his long thing fingers tightly wrapped around already abused arms, spoke to Riku. This time he was the first one to move. Squall was a minute behind him. Ever so gently, Riku brushed some of the greasy hair out of the man's face. There were tear drop tattoos under each eye, upside down ones. They reminded Riku of a clown. They were **so** at odds with the pained man trying to work himself through withdrawal that Riku had to force down a slightly hysterical laugh. As Squall gently, kindly picked up the shuddering, pathetic shell of a man, murmuring comforting words, Riku couldn't help but wonder if that's what he'd looked like when Squall had found him in this wretched place.

**A/N: Hay guys, yes I realize I'm posting a new story, when I have two others that haven't been updated in ages. But, I'm in a rut. So, as I usually do when I'm in a rut, I have started a new story. Hope you like it. : **


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